Articles for Marecia Damons
Here’s how many people receive a SASSA grant
25% of the population received a grant in 2006. Today, it is about 41%.
Chart by The Outlier. Text by Marecia Damons.
Charts | 30 October 2026
SASSA to spend R290-billion on social grants this year
Grants make up 11% of government spending, the same as 20 years ago
Chart by The Outlier. Text by Marecia Damons.
Charts | 23 October 2026
SASSA at 20 years: 73% of pensioners receive a grant
Grant has helped reduce poverty, but it is being stretched to maintain households
Text by Marecia Damons. Chart by The Outlier.
Charts | 9 October 2026
Elections 2026: this village in the Langkloof orchards is strewn with rubbish
Residents of Louterwater in Kou-Kamma municipality complain of uncollected waste, persistent sewage overflows and inconsistent water supply
Feature | 5 October 2026
20 years of SASSA: How the SRD grant became a lifeline for millions
Research suggests the grant does not discourage unemployed people from looking for work
Feature | 1 October 2026
Elections 2026: This town only gets water for an hour a day
Kou-Kamma Local Municipality says it needs R210-million to upgrade and maintain water and sanitation infrastructure
Feature | 21 September 2026
Five years later: Bester prison escape trial set for April 2027
Bester’s lawyers told the court they are struggling to get access to their client
News | 28 August 2026
Judges grill Treasury on SRD grant
SCA judge questions whether “people without the means to even buy a cellphone” should have to apply online
Law | 25 August 2026
Home or hospice: The debate over the closure of St Luke’s inpatient unit
While most people prefer to die at home, a minority desperately need specialist care that can only be provided in an institution
Feature | 21 August 2026